(AVERY'S POV)

Ignoring Rick for the rest of the day was surprisingly easy. He was holed up in meetings with his men, discussing whatever the hell they always did. Plans. Gala. Enemies. Business. Whatever it was, it kept him away from me, and for once, I was grateful.

Night fell, but sleep never came.

I tossed. Turned. Buried my face into the pillow. Nothing helped. My body still hummed, my mind still replayed the way Rick kissed me—like he wanted to devour me and destroy me all at once.

The ghost of his lips still lingered on mine.

No matter how much I forced myself to forget, my mind betrayed me the moment I closed my eyes. With a frustrated sigh, I sat up in bed, the dim glow of the moon casting long shadows across my room. My fingers curled into the sheets as I fought the temptation clawing at my chest.

Don't do it, Avery.

But my body was already moving before my mind could catch up.

Silently, I slipped out of bed, my bare feet padding against the cold floor as I pushed my door open and stepped into the hallway. The air was heavy, thick with something I couldn't name. Maybe it was the night. Maybe it was him.

Maybe it was the fucking pull he had on me that I couldn't escape.

Rick's room was dark, but not empty.

It was filled with him—his scent, his presence, even when he wasn't there. I took a slow step forward, my pulse steady but my chest tightening with something I wasn't ready to admit.

The room was minimalistic. No unnecessary decorations, no warmth, just like the man himself. But as I walked closer to the nightstand, something caught my eye.

A photo.

I reached for it before I could stop myself.

It was old, slightly worn at the edges, but the image was clear. A boy, no older than eight, standing beside a woman with soft eyes and dark hair. His mother. His little sister, barely a toddler, clung to the woman's dress.

Rick's face in the picture was unreadable. Just like it was now.

"You lost?"

His voice sliced through the silence, sending a sharp jolt through me. I turned abruptly, the photo slipping from my fingers and landing back onto the nightstand with a soft thud.

Rick stood just a few feet away, fresh from the shower. His hair, still wet, dripped onto his bare shoulders, a white towel hanging loosely around his neck. But my eyes travelled lower, betraying me before I could stop them.

Sweatpants. Low on his hips. The sharp cut of his V-line leading down—

I swallowed hard.

Rick tilted his head slightly, catching exactly where my gaze had landed. His lips curled into something dangerous.

"Like what you see?"

Cocky. Amused.

Like he already knew the answer.

I snapped my eyes back up to his, heat creeping up my neck. "Fuck off."

He took a step forward.

I took a step back.

Another step. Another. Until my back hit the wall, and he was standing right in front of me, his body blocking out everything else.

His hands came up, resting against the wall just above my head.

Trapping me.

His eyes flickered to my lips before dragging back up to meet mine. My breath hitched, my pulse hammering so hard I could feel it in my throat.

And then he leaned in—closer, closer—his lips a breath away from mine.

But he didn't kiss me.

Instead, he tilted his head and pressed a kiss to my forehead.

Soft. Almost tender.

And it fucking burned.

I clenched my fists. "I'm not a kid to be kissed on the forehead."

He pulled back slightly, a smirk tugging at the corner of his lips. Mocking. Dangerous.

"Oh? So, you're finally done ignoring me?" His voice was lower now, rough. "Came all the way here just to get kissed?"

My jaw locked. "Fuck you."

His smirk deepened. "Let's say I grabbed you and kissed you right now..." He tilted his head, his gaze turning sharp, predatory. "What would you do?"

I didn't hesitate. "I'd kiss you back."

The air between us shifted.

And then, Rick moved.

Fast. Brutal.

His hands grabbed my wrists, pinning them against the wall as his mouth crashed onto mine.

The kiss was nothing but need.

His lips moved against mine in a way that was both demanding and dangerous—like he was trying to claim something he had no right to, like he was challenging me to stop him.

I didn't.

I kissed him back just as hard.

Rick let out a low growl, as he pressed his body into mine, his grip tightening around my wrists. I gasped into his mouth, and he took advantage of it immediately, his tongue sliding against mine in a kiss so filthy it left me dizzy.

His body was solid heat, his bare skin burning against me. I could feel every sharp ridge of muscle, every drop of tension coiling inside him.

One of his hands left my wrist, moving to my waist before gripping my hip roughly, fingers digging in like he wanted to mark me.

His kiss turned hungrier, filthier.

Teeth. Tongue. Rough, messy, fucking devastating.

He kissed like he wanted to ruin me.

And god, maybe he already had.

Rick pulled back, his breath hot against my lips, his grip firm, possessive. His grey eyes burned into mine, dark but I felt the restraint in the way his fingers dug into my waist. Like he was barely holding himself back.

"You keep kissing me like that, Avery, and I won't stop next time. I'll take you right here against this wall, make you scream my name till everyone in this fucking house knows who you belong to."

His words sent a violent shiver down my spine, heat pooling deep inside me. My breath was still shaky, my lips slightly parted, my mind clouded with the weight of his words.

I looked up at him, heart hammering.

"Maybe... I wouldn't stop you either."

His jaw tensed, fingers tightening on my waist even more.

"Oh, you better be fucking sure about it."

His voice was edged with a warning.

"Cuz there'll be no way back if I start."

I swallowed hard, my pulse a frantic drum against my ribs. My body already knew the answer before my lips even moved. I sucked in a shaky breath and met his gaze, the truth slipping from my mouth before I could even think.

"I don't wanna go back."

That was it.

Rick crashed his lips onto mine, stealing the air straight from my lungs. He kissed me like he was branding every inch of me as his.

A needy whimper escaped me, and he growled in response, his hands gripping my waist as he lifted me slightly. He grabbed one of my legs, wrapped it around him, his fingers digging into my thigh. And then—fuck.

A sharp gasp tore from my throat as he ground his hips against me, his cock hard and thick between my legs, pressing exactly where I needed him the most.

"This is what you do to me," he muttered against my lips, his voice thick with lust, frustration. "Every single time you fucking touch me."

A moan escaped me before I could stop it.

His smirk was pure arrogance, pure danger, as he swallowed the sound with another kiss—dominating, desperate, completely wrecking me out of breath.

The pressure between my thighs was unbearable. I could feel myself throbbing, my body aching for more, and Rick—of course, he noticed.

His smirk deepened against my lips.

"Looks like you have a problem down there too."

His voice was pure sin.

My breath hitched as his hand drifted lower, fingers tracing slow, lazy circles around my belly button, teasing, taunting. My body tensed in anticipation, knowing exactly where this was going.

I sucked in a breath, but it turned into a strangled moan the second his fingers slipped beneath my underwear.

A sharp inhale. My back arched, my hands gripping his biceps for support as he pressed against my clit—slowly, torturously, teasing me in the most maddening way possible.

Rick kissed me again, swallowing my whimpers, his fingers never stopping, his movements precise, controlled, devastating. My body was betraying me, melting under his touch, completely at his mercy.

I threw my head back against the wall, a moan slipping past my lips, and Rick—fuck him—he just smirked, his touch growing even more relentless.

I was falling apart, and he was making damn sure I knew exactly who was doing this to me.

His fingers slid inside me, and my breath hitched, my nails digging into his back. The stretch was slight but enough to send a sharp jolt of pleasure spiralling through me. My body clenched around him, and Rick leaned in, his lips grazing the shell of my ear.

"Fuck—you're tight."

I gasped, barely able to think, barely able to breathe before he pushed another finger inside. My body tensed, my thighs trembling as a loud moan slipped past my lips.

Rick chuckled, dark and knowing.

"You like that?"

His fingers moved, slow and deliberate, sending another pulse of heat straight to my core.

I couldn't answer. My head fell back against the wall, my lips parting in a desperate, helpless whimper.

Rick watched me, his grey eyes sharp, amused, as his fingers curled inside me. His other hand gripped my waist, keeping me steady when my legs nearly gave out.

"Let me know if it hurts," he murmured, his lips brushing against my jaw. "I'll stop."

I bit my lip hard, shaking my head. My hands fisted his shoulders, pulling him closer, my body burning with the need for more.

His lips quirked slightly, that smirk still lingering. "Words...Avery."

A shiver ran through me, my breaths coming out ragged. "Please..."

Rick hummed, satisfied, and his pace quickened. His fingers moved inside me, slow at first, then deeper, harder. My back arched, my hands sliding up his bare chest as my entire body trembled under his touch.

It was too much. Not enough.

"Fuck—Rick."

My voice broke as my head fell forward against his shoulder. My body clenched around his fingers, every stroke sending fire through my veins.

Rick's grip on my waist tightened, his fingers digging in as he kept me in place. His lips brushed against my temple, his voice nothing but a dark whisper.

"You want more?"

I barely managed to nod, panting, my body aching for it. "Yes—yes."

The second the word left my lips, he stopped.

My eyes snapped open. My breath was still ragged, my body still burning, but his fingers—his touch—were gone.

A frown twisted my face as I looked up at him in desperate disbelief.

"Rick—"

His smirk was pure arrogance, pure fucking cruelty.

"Time for bed."

I blinked, my mind struggling to process the words.

Bed? After—after all that?

My mouth opened, then shut, my thoughts a jumbled mess as I tried to find the words to curse him out. But before I could, his hands moved lower, gripping my ass as he lifted me up.

A surprised gasp left me as my legs instinctively wrapped around his waist, my arms looping around his neck.

Rick's smirk deepened, his breath warm against my lips as he carried me effortlessly toward the bed.

"Not yours. Mine."

Heat flooded my face. My stomach twisted. My pulse thundered in my ears.

Rick pressed a knee onto the mattress, lowering me down as his lips brushed against mine, his eyes burning into me.

"You won't be able to stand when I'm done with you."

A nervous, breathless chuckle slipped from my lips, my face heating even more.

Rick only smirked. "Red suits you."

Then, his lips crashed onto mine again, slowly trailing lower. Each kiss sent another pulse of heat down my spine, my breath coming in shallow, uneven gasps.

I writhed beneath him, my hands gripping the sheets as his mouth moved over my ribs, my stomach—lower.

Rick's eyes flicked up to mine, sharp, unblinking, as his lips brushed my pelvis. My body jerked at the sensation, a whimper slipping past my lips.

Then, without breaking eye contact, he hooked his fingers under my underwear and pulled them down.

My breath caught in my throat.

He held the fabric between his fingers, his grey eyes dark with something dangerous. Then—slowly, deliberately—he brought them to his nose, inhaling deeply.

A choked sound left me, my entire face burning as heat flooded my body.

He chuckled throwing the ruined fabric to the floor.

I couldn't think. Couldn't breathe. My legs trembled as he lowered his head, his lips brushing my now-bare pelvis. My back arched at the sensation, my hands clutching at the sheets, desperate for something—anything—to ground me.

Then his tongue flicked over my clit.

A sharp cry tore from my lips.

Rick hummed against me, his grip tightening on my thighs.

"So fucking wet," he muttered against my skin, his voice dripping with dark amusement.

My fingers curled into his hair, my body burning as he licked, sucked, teased—tortured me. His tongue moved in slow, deliberate strokes, each one sending another pulse of pleasure straight through me.

I couldn't take it.

My hips bucked against his mouth, my body chasing more, chasing anything that would push me over the edge. But just as the pleasure built—just as I felt the coil inside me about to snap—he pulled away.

A desperate whimper left my lips, my body arching toward him, aching, begging.

Rick only smirked.

Bastard.

He sat up on his knees, reaching for the hem of my oversized shirt. In one swift movement, he pulled it over my head, leaving me completely bare beneath him.

His eyes dragged over me, slow and heavy.

Then he sighed. Loudly.

"Fuck," he muttered, almost to himself.

His fingers twitched at his sides as his gaze lingered, burning, devouring.

"You have no idea how long I've fucking waited for this."

My stomach twisted, my entire body tightening under his stare.

Then he was on me again, his lips crashing onto mine, stealing what little breath I had left.

I barely noticed when he moved away—barely processed anything until I heard the rustle of fabric.

My eyes snapped open just in time to see him standing at the edge of the bed, pushing his sweatpants down.

My breath hitched. My entire face went hot.

He was—

Oh, fuck.

Rick smirked, watching as my gaze dropped to his length. His arrogance dripped from every inch of his expression, his confidence absolute.

"Too big for you?"

I swallowed hard, my throat suddenly dry.

His smirk deepened. He crawled back onto the bed, his body looming over mine, his heat suffocating.

I barely had time to process before he grabbed the towel from around his neck. In one swift, effortless motion, he tied my wrists together, pushing them above my head.

Panic. Excitement. Heat.

All of it slammed into me at once, my breath coming in rapid gasps.

Rick leaned down, his face inches from mine.

"You ready?"

I nodded, too breathless to form words.

His grip on my wrists tightened. His eyes darkened.

"Is it your first time?"

I nodded again.

His gaze sharpened.

"Again....Words, Avery."

"Y-Yes."

His lips parted slightly, his breath warm against my mouth.

"Let me be your first." His voice was low, commanding, possessive. "And your last."

Then his hand slid between my legs, his fingers teasing, rubbing over my already aching clit. A sharp jolt of pleasure tore through me, my back arching off the mattress.

Without warning—he thrust his erection inside me.

A loud, broken moan ripped from my throat.

I gasped, my entire body tightening around him, the stretch sharp and overwhelming. Rick groaned above me, his fingers digging into my wrists, his body tense.

"Fuck." His breath was ragged, his voice nothing but a low, dangerous growl.

He moved—slow, careful, letting me adjust. Letting me breathe.

Then his lips brushed against my ear. "Breathe, Avery."

I exhaled shakily, my body melting into his.

And then he moved faster.

Each thrust sent another sharp jolt of pleasure spiralling through me, my body tightening with every deep, hard movement. My fingers curled into fists above my head, my legs trembling as I moaned his name.

Rick's grip on my wrists tightened. His breath was hot against my skin, his voice low and commanding.

"Louder."

I whimpered, my lips parting as another loud moan slipped free.

"Good girl."

My entire body clenched around him, a desperate whimper escaping my lips.

Then he did something cruel.

His free hand slid between us, his fingers finding my clit again.

A sharp cry ripped from my throat. My body arched violently, my head falling back against the pillow as pleasure slammed into me, raw and unbearable.

Rick smirked, his fingers moving faster. "Everyone in this house will know who you belong to tonight."

I tried to muffle my moans, biting my lip, but Rick wasn't having it.

His fingers pressed harder, rubbing slow, torturous circles that made my entire body shake.

"Say it," he murmured, his voice dark and taunting. "Say you're mine."

I clenched around him, my breaths coming in broken, desperate gasps. "I—"

He thrust into me harder.

I nearly screamed.

"Say it, Avery."

"Y-Yours," I choked out, my voice barely a whisper.

Rick growled low in his throat, his grip on my wrists tightening. "Again."

"Yours," I whimpered, my entire body trembling beneath him.

His lips brushed against mine, his voice nothing but a dangerous whisper. "Good girl."

The pleasure built—sharp, unbearable.

I was close. So close.

"Not yet."

My eyes snapped open. My body burned, ached, throbbed. I whimpered, my hips moving desperately, trying to chase the release that was just within reach.

Rick smirked, making his pace faster, his hand still torturing me.

I nearly sobbed.

"Rick—please—"

Then—suddenly, violently—he slammed into me one last time.

"Now."

The orgasm hit like a fucking explosion.

My entire body clenched, my vision blurred, my lips parted in a loud, broken moan as wave after wave of pleasure crashed into me, leaving me breathless, mindless.

Rick groaned, his body tensing, his grip bruising as he spilled into me, his breath hot and ragged against my ear.

For a long moment, neither of us moved.

We just laid there, panting, shaking, completely undone.

I barely felt when Rick finally loosened the grip on my wrists, his hands sliding down my body in slow, lazy strokes.

Then, finally, he spoke.

"Mine."

It wasn't a question. It wasn't a request.

It was a fucking fact.

Rick let out a rough breath against my neck before pressing a firm kiss to my forehead. His fingers trailed down my body, sending a final shiver through me as he slowly pulled himself out. I gasped at the sensation, my body still trembling from the aftershocks of what we had just done. But the moment my dazed mind caught up, realization slammed into me like a freight train.

He didn't use a condom!!!

My breath hitched as my eyes shot down to where our bodies had just been connected, and then up to his face. My stomach twisted.

"Rick—" I started, panic seeping into my voice.

He smirked. That fucking smirk.

"I didn't plan to."

His voice was deep, lazy, completely unapologetic.

My heart pounded.

"What the hell do you mean you didn't plan to?"

Rick's eyes darkened as he ran a hand down my thigh, his touch possessive.

"I don't share."

His fingers curled around my waist, his grip firm.

"And I sure as hell wasn't gonna let anyone else touch you."

I clenched my fists against his chest, my body still weak but my frustration flaring.

"Rick!" I hissed, my voice barely above a whisper.

His smirk deepened.

"What?"

He tilted his head slightly, as if he wasn't fully understanding my concern—or more likely, just didn't give a damn.

I struggled to find words, my mind spinning.

"You—you didn't even ask. You just—"

"I wanted to feel all of you. And now I have."

My breath stilled, my lips parting, but the words refused to come out.

But then reality struck again. Hard.

"Rick, what if I—?"

I started, my voice barely above a whisper, panic creeping in.

He didn't even blink. He dragged his thumb across my swollen lips, his face impossibly calm. "Then you'll have my kid."

A sharp inhale rushed through me as I stared at him, my mouth open in shock. No hesitation. No second-guessing. Just pure, unshaken certainty in his voice. Like it was inevitable.

I was too stunned to even form a response but for some unknown reasons I liked the idea of being the mother of his kids.

Rick let out a quiet chuckle at my expression before lying back against the bed, pulling me into his chest as if that conversation had never even happened. His body heat enveloped me as he grabbed the black silk blanket and covered us, his arm locking around my waist, securing me in place. My head rested against his chest, and I could hear his steady heartbeat, calm and controlled—so wildly different from the storm he had just unleashed on me moments ago.

Minutes passed in silence. My mind was still reeling, but my body was exhausted, sinking into him in a way that felt dangerous. Too natural. Too easy.

Then, quietly, I asked, "Why did you join the FBI?"

Rick didn't respond right away. I felt his fingers brushing slow circles along my back, the movement almost soothing. Almost.

Finally, his voice broke the silence.

"Not sure. Maybe because I wanted to prove I could be different from my father. To carve out a path of my own."

His tone was steady, but there was something underneath it—something sharp, something bitter.

"I wanted to be something other than just another extension of his legacy. But all I managed to do was fail that goal when I killed a businessman out of pure wrath, driven by revenge."

His jaw tensed.

"It wasn't justice—it was personal vengeance. I still hadn't exacted my revenge on Sergei, the man who truly deserved it, but the businessman was collateral damage in my blind rage."

I swallowed, my chest tightening at the weight in his voice.

"I know about the murder," I admitted softly.

Rick's body stiffened for a second before his head turned slightly toward me, his eyes narrowing. "How—?"

I smirked, trying to lighten the tension just a little. "The boys."

He exhaled sharply through his nose, muttering a curse under his breath.

I chuckled, nuzzling into his chest. A few moments passed before I spoke again.

"Can I call you Carlo too?"

His brows furrowed slightly. "Why?"

I grinned, shifting to look at him.

"Because 'Carlo' sounds way fancier, like someone who owns a pet tiger and drinks expensive wine in a silk robe"

Rick gave me a deadpan look. "What kind of image do you have of me?"

I giggled, shrugging.

"I don't know! It just suits you. 'Rick' sounds like a guy who fixes cars. 'Carlo' sounds like a guy who makes people disappear."

Rick scoffed, shaking his head. " You and that mouth of yours."

And then, with that signature smirk, he leaned in, voice dropping low.

"But if you want me in a silk robe, just say the word."

Heat shot through my body instantly, my face turning red. I smacked his chest.

Rick let out a low laugh, shaking his head slightly before his gaze settled on me—steady, unreadable, yet holding something I couldn't quite name. His fingers brushed along my cheek, a slow, deliberate touch that made my breath catch.

"You're something else, Caine," he murmured.

My stomach flipped, warmth spreading through my chest as I looked away, my face burning. Before I could say anything, he tugged me closer, wrapping an arm around me as his lips pressed against the top of my head. I felt the deep inhale he took, like he was breathing me in, before his hand came up, gently patting my head.

The small, unexpected gesture made my heart squeeze.

I buried my face in his chest, biting my lip to stop the ridiculous grin threatening to take over.

Damn him.